It is known to construct radial bearings with a plurality of bearing blocks or pads radially disposed between relatively rotatable inner and outer members or in a "race". The bearing pads are arranged to tilt with respect to one of the members when the bearing is in operation to form wedge-shaped spaces for the reception of a film of load-sustaining lubricant. In other words, the wedge-shaped spaces open in the direction of movement of the bearing pads, in response to tilting, in order to form and retain the load sustaining film. The bearing pads generally are symmetrical so that relative rotation of the members in one direction causes tilting of the pads in one way and rotation in the other direction causes tilting of the pads in the other way.
In the prior art, such tilting pad radial bearings either have the pads mounted on the inside of an outer stationary member for engaging the outer cylindrical bearing surface of an inner rotatable member, or the pads have been mounted on the inner rotatable member itself for engaging the inside surface of the outer stationary member. Such uses have proven effective for their intended purposes when the inner member rotates, as with a shaft, within an outer stationery member, such as a tube having an inside cylindrical bearing surface.
However, there are other applications where rotatable members require bearing means in a very compact environment, such as in aerospace applications, and particularly in such environments as a space station. In such environments, where space is of an ultimate premium, to employ radial bearing pads on the outside of a rotatable member not only is undesirable in and of itself, but the necessary surrounding tube having an inner bearing surface requires space which simply may not be available, much less requiring an additional element for the bearing means.
This invention is directed to a novel radial bearing of the tilting pad type wherein the bearing is placed within the rotatable member itself. For instance, centrifugal drum-like pumps are employed in aerospace applications. Placing radial bearing pads about the outside of the drum would be undesirable and sometimes impossible because of space limitations. The invention is exemplified herein with such a centrifugal pump, wherein the bearing pads are employed inside the pump itself. Of course, other applications of the invention are readily available.